Red Hawks right on

Published 8:00 pm, Sunday, September 28, 2008

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CASSCITY— As quickly as Cass City gave Reese one last chance, the Red Hawks took it away.

CassCity, still searching for that defining moment in 2008, found it in the final quarter here Friday night against Greater Thumb West rival Reese. Clinging to a lead, but on their heels late in the game, the Red Hawks relied on their defense to seize control, coming up with a game-clinching interception in the waning moments of an exciting 27-19 decision over the Rockets.

Lukas Varney picked off a Reese pass at the Red Hawk 10-yard line in the final minute to preserve the victory, steering Cass City into the driver's seat in the GTW. The Red Hawks, 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the league, hold a one-game edge over the Rockets and Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port. It's the first time Cass City's been undefeated at this point of the season since 2005.

"We wanted to prove what we are all about, and see how good we really are," said Cass City coach Scott Cuthrell. "We talked at halftime that defense was going to win the game for us."

CassCity's late defensive heroics saved an otherwise rocky performance from the unit, which yielded 173 yards and three touchdowns through the air from Reese quarterback Josh Pickell.

"We struggled all night against the pass," Cuthrell said. "We just kept on having breakdowns. At the end, though, when we needed it, our defense came up strong."

The Red Hawks' offense, meanwhile, did the majority of its damage on the ground. Cass City racked up 367 yards rushing, paced by Austin Babich's 101 yards, including an electrifying 65-yard dash which gave the Red Hawks a two touchdown lead early in the fourth quarter. Luke Newton added 95 yards and one touchdown while Blake Messing notched 90 yards and one more score. Varney also added a TD.

"They have a nice football team," said Reese coach Bob Saylor. "They're thick, and they run that fullhouse really well. Scott and his crew did a nice job of getting those kids ready."

Varney's 6-yard score with 1:05 left in the third quarter gave the Red Hawks a 21-13 edge. Reese came right back, though, driving down to the Cass City 1-yard line. But a sack and two penalties pushed the Rockets all the way back to the 25, forcing them to go for it on fourth down. Cass City then stuffed Reese's hook-and-lateral play, taking over with 9:47 to go.

"When they got down to the 1-yard line, and then all of a sudden they're back at the 20, and then we got the ball back, that was a good stand for us," Cuthrell said.

Two plays after the defensive stop, Babich broke free up the middle for his score, making it 27-13.

The Rockets, though, didn't fold. Reese's defense came up with a big stop of its own on a fourth-and-two play from near midfield, giving the Rockets the ball back with plenty of time on the clock.

Reese drove 55 yards in just over minute, capped by a 28-yard hook-up from Pickell to Tommy Wheeler. Though the PAT failed, Reese was back to within one score with 4:22 left.

The Red Hawks then fumbled the exchange from center a few plays into their next drive. Reese took over at the Cass City 41 with still 2:59 remaining.

"That fumble at that time is something that can't happen at that point of a game," Cuthrell said. "Those are things we need to get better at."

After a couple of runs moved the ball to around the 30, Varney made his game-saving play, stepping in front of pass over the middle and picking it off to clinch the victory.

"We had a chance," Saylor said. "It's been one of those years."

After important wins over Harbor Beach and Unionville-Sebewaing Area earlier in the season, Cuthrell is excited — and relieved — to be undefeated.

"I'll tell you what…" he said. "We said at the beginning of the year that every game is going to be tight — and it has been. You just don't know. If you don't show up one Friday night, and you're not ready, you're going to go down."

"We're 5-0, but we made a lot of mistakes tonight. Hopefully, we can get better and eliminate some of the mistakes we made."

CassCity grabbed an early 7-0 edge on Newton's 35-yard scamper in the opening quarter.

The Rockets tied the game at 7 on a 25-yard strike from Pickell to Luke Sommerfield.

It stayed that way until the third quarter when the Red Hawks marched 75 yards in 4:50, capped by Messing's 2-yard plunge.

Reese came right back with Pickell connecting with Sommerfield on a 55-yard score. The snap on the PAT, though, was high, making it 14-13 midway through the third quarter.

Sommerfield hauled in four passes for 141 yards for the Rockets. Teammate Mike Herbolsheimer rushed for 127 yards on 14 carries.

Despite the loss, Saylor still sees his team as a GTW contender.

"I think our conference is pretty even," he said. "I told them after the game that we still have an opportunity. Obviously, we have to have some help and have someone knock off Cass City, but we're still in the thick of things."